Red Sea released one album called BLOOD on Rugged Records in 1994. The group's roster was Robyn Kyle Basauri (vocals, some percussion), Chris 'Howell' Sorenson (guitars, dobro, 12-string acoustic and slide), Greg Chaisson (electric bass), and Jeff Martin (acoustic drums). You may know some of these guys from the bands Die Happy, Fear Not, and Badlands. Fast forward to 2019 and Roxx Records has re-issued the album! Scott Waters did a great job on the cover art!
The album starts off with 'Soulshaker', a powerful metal track about an encounter with Jesus: "There stands a man with eyes of fire/Looking through your heart's desire/Sayin' 'Leave the world you know behind/It's gonna blow your mind'/Soul shaker, soul shaker/Fire in your brain/Drivin' you insane/Soul shaker, heart breaker/It's gonna bring you to your knees/Satisfaction guaranteed/Tonight, tonight". 'Blood' is a great hard rocker about redemption: "Now take a look around you/Tell me what it is you see/I see the masses crying out to be set free/Can you feel it coming?/In the name of love/I see a new day dawning/Rolling like a river, flowing to a sea of/Blood, blood, blood, cover my life with the blood (2X)". 'Wolves at the Door' runs over seven minutes long. It includes a nice electric guitar solo and calls out to Christ: "Take it or leave it/The truth, the life, the way/You'd better believe it/Lord, Lord save this poor gone soul".
'Dust to Dust' is a rock ballad that testifies: "Born a child of mercy/Bred by the powers that move the seas/When my day is done and my time has finally come/From the ashes Your love will carry me/Formed from the dust of the earth and water/Fed by the fire that quenched my soul/I've held the hand that holds back the rain and it set me free to rest in peace". 'Last Days of Winter' is a slow cut reminding us to be careful what kind of foundation we build our lives on: "See the old man/His withered mind/Built his fortress in the sand/And in a moment's time/Swept up by the tide/All his wealth slips through his hands". The song builds in intensity.
Next up is 'Hellbound Train'. It paints a morbid picture of where the unsaved will spend eternity: "The Helltrain runs through the night/The wheels keep turning/The fires keep burning/Once around a long way down/Miles down from heaven/Alone on this Hell-bound train.../Burnin', burnin' alive/Burnin', no one survives this ride". Bob Bancalri plays the Hammond organ on 'Shades of Purple'. It's a chug-a-long metal track about suicide: "My mind is busy spinnin'/As I see the reaper grinning in my head/As I lie here barely breathin'/I can see the ground beneath me turning red/I can hear the sirens blaring/As I take my last breath starin' at the sky".
'Walk on Fire' is about a guy wanting his girl back. It's a hard rock number: "Every time I see your face I remember your ways/Every time I cross that line I swear on my life/I'd walk on fire, miles and miles/Walk on fire to get to you/If the flames burned higher/I'd walk that wire to get to you". 'Losin' My Way' puts full trust in God: "I believe in Your ways till the end of my days/You are my shelter/To You I pray when I'm losin', losin' my way/I seek Your wisdom to search what I must find, I must find/I seek Your vision to be my eyes when I am blind, so blind".
'Down Home Static' is a one minute filler. Last up is 'Tears of Joy', on which Mark Clark plays church organ. It's a bluesy rock song that offers good advice: "Cry those tears of joy/Let them fall on down your face/Love has been my saving grace/Cry those tears of joy/Please remember baby/Love is gonna guide your way back home".
To me, the definite strengths of BLOOD are the strong lead vocals and the great musicianship on this hard rock/metal release. The lyrics are written so as not to be preachy, yet get the message of God's love and plans for us, through to the listeners. I applaud the band for tackling the subjects of hell and suicide. Life without Christ is shown to be empty. The good news though is that God is waiting for us to run to Him and gain eternal life, peace, and hope! If we build our lives on the foundation of Jesus Christ we can weather the storms of life. The CD booklet contains individual photos of each band member. I'm rating BLOOD 86% and recommending it to fans of Bride and Guardian. For more info visit www.roxxproductions.com and connect with the band on social media.